Tragedy of solvent abuser

With his life getting back on track, his lifeless body was discovered at his Oxford Road, home '” another shocking victim of solvent abuse.

Hundreds gathered at Hastings Crematorium last week to bid their farewells to Stephen, reflecting the amount of lives he had touched. Dressed in purple, his favourite colour, mourners added a flash of colour to the dark day.

Stephen, affectionately known as Scooby, had the world in front if him. Despite his depression, he was popular amongst friends and colleagues and brought laughter into many people's lives. But his dabbling with solvents, on the night lighter gas, led to tragedy.

His death has struck deep in the heart of the St Leonards community, and every day has been a struggle for his heartbroken family.

Stephen's mother said: "Things were really on the up for him, he had just moved back home and me and his dad were just saying how proud we were of him, how much he had matured in the last six months."

His parents, Sally and Michael, knew about the substance abuse and had desperately tried to make him stop.

"He'd tried other things, like any teenager, a bit of ecstasy, he had a smoke. But this was the one habit he couldn't kick," said his tearful mother. "I'd tried to make him promise to give it up, but he just couldn't do it. He said it took him to a place where he could cope with life."

His family admit to Stephen's troubled past, bullies drove him out of The Grove School at just 15 leaving him to be taught from home. As a means to cope with his depression, he would often self harm, cutting his arms to deal with his troubles. And in a further blow, he was forced to sign off from the job he loved as a storeman at Woodgate, Rye, following a hand injury.

But his family insist his life had taken a real upward turn in recent weeks and he was feeling optimistic about the future.

"He was really popular at Rye and was looking forward to getting back to work, it gave him a purpose." said his mother.

"People at his work would say if you needed to find Stephen you would just follow the laughter, and he would be there.

"It's only now we are starting to hear about the real Stephen. He would do anything for his friends, he was so generous and kind, but he wouldn't tell us about that."

His sister Rose speaks fondly of her little brother, uncle to her two girls Saffron, three and Kiya, one. She said: "Saffron is finding it really hard, she can't eat without a picture of him in front of her. She really misses him. He was so funny and jokey, and would never purposely hurt anyone."

The teenager was also a popular visitor to Xtrax, the youth recreation and advice centre on Havelock Road.

Project manager Andrew Batsford said: "He was a firm favourite here, he would come to us for all types of advice, and just to use the facilities.

"He was full of life and a real original, respected by a lot of people.

"We knew about the drugs and had talked about the dangers. He was very much an informed user, but to him it was just his drug of choice, for recreation. He didn't drink a lot, he saw sniffing aerosols just like people would see smoking a cigarette."

Xtrax are now hoping to erect a plaque in memory of the teenager, and hope it will serve as a reminder of the boy they knew as Scooby, and of the unpredictable nature and destructive force of solvent abuse.